Data processing system intended to facilitate confronting an offer and a demand

ABSTRACT

A data processing system (X) is adapted to confront an offer (O) and a demand (D), in particular in the field of transportation of travelers or goods. The system (X) receives requests corresponding to new offers/demands, formulated by users (C.) of the data processing system and data corresponding to offers/demands not yet satisfied from a plurality of secondary data processing servers (A, B, C, E) themselves adapted to confront an offer and a demand. After receiving a request corresponding to a new offer/demand formulated by a user (C.) of the data processing system (X), the system (X) verifies if there is an offer/demand (O A , D A , O B , D B , O C , O B , D B ) not yet satisfied, received from a secondary data processing server (A, B, C, E) or transmitted previously by a user of the data processing system, that can respond to the request. If not, the system (X) stores the request in the data processing system and/or sends data corresponding to the new request to at least one of the secondary data processing servers (A, B, C, E) to enable confrontation with an offer/demand responding to the new request received subsequently by the secondary data processing server (A, B, C, E).

This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 12/071,467, filed Feb.21, 2008, which in turn is a Continuation of application Ser. No.10/415,703 filed Jul. 22, 2003, which is the U.S. National Stage ofPCT/IB01/02102 filed Nov. 7, 2001. The disclosure of each priorapplications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

The present invention relates to a data processing system intended tofacilitate confronting an offer and a demand, more particularly,although not exclusively, in the field of transporting goods ortravelers.

A data processing system intended to facilitate confronting an offer anda demand, also referred to as a freight exchange in the case oftransporting goods, receives offers from hauliers and demands fromcustomers requiring to transport a given volume of goods from adeparture point to an arrival point on a given date.

Users, whether hauliers or customers, must usually be subscribers to thefreight exchange and their offers or demands receive a response onlyonce they have been identified.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new data processingsystem which is capable of increasing the number of offers/demandsconsulted with the aim of responding to a demand/offer, to facilitatesatisfying the user originating the demand/offer.

The new data processing system, adapted to confront an offer and ademand, in the field of freight or other fields, is characterized inthat it is adapted to:

-   -   receive requests corresponding to new offers/demands, the        requests being formulated by users of the data processing        system,    -   receive data corresponding to offers/demands not yet satisfied        from a plurality of secondary data processing servers, the        secondary data processing servers being themselves adapted to        confront an offer and a demand,    -   after receiving a new request corresponding to a new        offer/demand formulated by a user of the data processing system,        verify if there is an offer/demand not yet satisfied, received        from a secondary data processing server or transmitted        previously by a user of the data processing system, that can        respond to the new request, and    -   if not, store the new request in the data processing system        and/or send data corresponding to the new request to at least        one of the secondary data processing servers to enable        confrontation with an offer/demand responding to the new request        received subsequently by the secondary data processing server.

The data processing system of the invention provides virtualcentralization of offers and demands, so to speak, and, with theinvention, a user originating an offer or a demand need only consult onedata processing system to obtain a response, because the data processingsystem searches secondary data processing servers to find a demandresponding to the offer or vice-versa.

Thus, in a freight context, the data processing system of the inventioncan automatically interrogate a plurality of freight exchanges, and theuser, whether a haulier or a customer, no longer has to consult thefreight exchanges successively to obtain a response to their offer ordemand.

The data processing system is preferably adapted to exchange data with aplurality of secondary data processing servers, at least two of whichsecondary data processing servers use different communication protocols.

At least one of the secondary data processing servers can be adapted notto respond to a request corresponding to an offer or to a demand untilit has received identification information for identifying the useroriginating the request.

The data processing system is advantageously adapted, when a requestcorresponding to an offer/demand is sent to it by a user of the dataprocessing system, to search for an offer/demand responding to therequest in all the offers and demands consulted by the secondary dataprocessing servers and in all the offers and demands internal to thedata processing system.

The data processing system is preferably adapted to store and updateautomatically all offers and demands consulted in order to respond to anew request sent by a user of the data processing system, updating beingeffected at sufficiently short time intervals for the user of the dataprocessing system to have access to recent offers or demands sent to thesecondary data processing servers by the users thereof.

The data processing system is preferably adapted to store and updateautomatically the set of offers and demands consulted in order torespond to a new request sent by a user of the data processing systemand, for each new offer/demand corresponding to a new request andincluded in the set, to verify if the offer/demand responds to a requestpreviously formulated by a user of the data processing system.

When a user of the data processing system is a subscriber to only someof the secondary data processing servers consulted by the dataprocessing system, in the event of a request formulated by that userwhich the data processing system has been unable to satisfy, the dataprocessing system can transmit the request that has not been satisfiedto only the secondary data processing server(s) of which the user is aclient, to enable the request to be confronted with an offer/demandreceived subsequently by the secondary data processing server(s).

Each offer/demand repatriated by the data processing system from asecondary data processing server is advantageously assigned an indexincluding information at least including the identity of the secondarydata processing server originating the offer/demand.

The index preferably further includes information on the frequency withwhich the offer/demand has been consulted.

The index can further include information on for how long theoffer/demand has been processed by the data processing system.

The data processing system is preferably adapted to cease presenting anoffer/demand to the users of the data processing system when apredetermined variable of the index which is incremented on eachconsultation exceeds a predetermined value.

Accordingly, offers/demands which are too old can be verified to see ifthey are still current, or even eliminated, which makes the informationsupplied by the data processing system more reliable.

The data processing system is advantageously adapted to effect aselection from multiple offers/demands corresponding to the same requestin accordance with predetermined criteria.

The data processing system is preferably adapted to enable a userunknown to a secondary data processing server to communicate to the dataprocessing system identification information required by that secondarydata processing server with a view to subscribing to it.

A request corresponding to an offer/demand can include space and timedata, in particular if it is an offer/demand for transport.

In one particular embodiment of the invention, the data processingsystem includes a sending device for sending a response to a user whohas formulated a request by electronic mail or facsimile or as a voicemessage.

The data processing system preferably includes a receiving system forreceiving location information concerning the geographical location ofthe user of the data processing system and/or that of the travelers,goods or services concerned, in order to advise a user who hasformulated a request including space data that an offer/demandsatisfying that request is located near that user or on their route.

The invention also provides a method of facilitating confronting anoffer and a demand, characterized in that it includes the supply of adata processing system as defined above.

The invention also provides a method of facilitating confronting anoffer and a demand, characterized in that it includes the followingsteps:

-   -   receiving requests corresponding to new offers/demands, the        requests being formulated by users of the data processing        system,    -   receiving data corresponding to offers/demands not yet satisfied        from a plurality of secondary data processing servers, the        secondary data processing servers being themselves adapted to        confront an offer and a demand,    -   after receiving a new request corresponding to a new        offer/demand formulated by a user of the data processing system,        verifying if there is an offer/demand not yet satisfied,        received from a secondary data processing server or transmitted        previously by a user of the data processing system that can        respond to the new request,    -   if not, storing the new request in the data processing system        and/or sending data corresponding to the new request to at least        one of the secondary data processing servers to enable        confrontation with an offer/demand responding to the new request        received subsequently by the secondary data processing server.

In one particular implementation of the method, the offer is an offer totransport freight or travelers and the demand is a demand fortransporting freight or travelers, the components of the offer or of thedemand including at least the departure point and the arrival point ofthe goods or travelers to be transported and the date they are to betransported.

In one particular embodiment of the method, the method further includesthe step of communicating in real time to the data processing systeminformation concerning the location of the users or the goods orservices concerned.

Thus terrestrial or airborne transportation means can be equipped withterminals for automatically sending information concerning the locationand the load of the transportation means to the data processing system.

The location information is advantageously analyzed by the dataprocessing system in the light of the demands/offers formulated by theusers of the data processing system and information is sent to thetransportation means to report transport demands/offers to them if thetransportation means are near the goods or travelers to be transportedand able to transport them.

The invention will be better understood on reading the followingdetailed description of a non-limiting embodiment of the invention andon examining the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 shows a central data processing system (also referred to as amain server) X constituting a particular embodiment of the invention.

The data processing system X includes data processing means comprisingone or more computers, possibly of different kinds, such as thoseusually employed to implement Internet sites.

They are associated with data storage means and data transmission means.

The data processing system X can communicate with and exchange data witha plurality of secondary data processing servers, of which there arefour in the example shown, namely pre-existing secondary data processingservers A, B, C and E.

Of course, the invention is not limited to a particular number ofpre-existing or subsequently developed secondary data processingservers.

Data is exchanged between the data processing system X and the secondarydata processing servers A, B, C or E using different communicationprotocols.

Thus the data processing system X can communicate with the secondarydata processing server A via satellite, with the secondary dataprocessing server B via the Internet, with the secondary data processingserver C by facsimile and with the secondary data processing server E byvideotex.

Each secondary data processing server A, B, C or E confronts an offerand a demand, the offer or the demand being formulated by a user of thesecondary data processing server.

Thus the secondary data processing server A receives offers O_(A) anddemands D_(A) from users C_(A), the secondary data processing server Breceives offers O_(B) and demands D_(B) from users C_(B), the secondarydata processing server C receives offers O_(C) and demands D_(C) fromusers C_(C) of the secondary data processing server C and the secondarydata processing server E receives offers O_(E) and demands D_(E) fromusers C_(E) of the secondary data processing server E.

The secondary data processing servers A, B, C and E may require asubscription or entry of information relating to the user of thesecondary data processing server before they respond to a requestcorresponding to an offer/demand.

In the example described here, each secondary data processing server A,B, C or E is a freight exchange and receives from its users C_(A),C_(B), C_(C) or C_(E) requests corresponding to offers or demands fortransporting goods.

The secondary data processing server A, just like the other secondarydata processing servers B, C and E, is adapted, on receiving a newrequest from a user C_(A), to search for an offer O_(A) or a demandD_(A) stored by the secondary data processing server and responding tothe request.

The data processing system X stores all offers and demands of thesecondary data processing servers A, B, C and E with which it isassociated by successively interrogating the secondary data processingservers A, B, C and E.

This creates virtual freight exchanges A′, B′, C′ and E′ within the dataprocessing system X.

The data processing system X periodically updates the virtual exchangesA′, B′, C′ and E′ by storing all new offers or demands received by anyof the secondary data processing servers A, B, C or E.

Thus a user C_(X) of the data processing system X who formulates arequest corresponding to an offer or to a demand is sure to obtain aservice at least equal to that it would have obtained by directlyinterrogating in turn each of the secondary data processing servers A,B, C or E with which the data processing system X is associated.

The data processing system X also stores offers O_(X) and demands D_(X)corresponding to requests previously formulated by other users C_(X) ofthe data processing system X and not yet satisfied.

The set of offers O_(X) and demands D_(X) constitutes a freight exchangeinternal to the data processing system X, as it were.

In this example, the data processing system X identifies each user C_(X)in order to authorize the supply of results only to authorized usersC_(X).

Access to the data processing system X can therefore require asubscription that has to be paid for, or access could be free but acharge levied for supplying results.

In this example, the data processing system X also enables a user C_(X)who already subscribes to at least one of the secondary data processingservers A, B, C or E to communicate information such as a passwordspecific to that secondary data processing server and thereafterenabling the data processing system X to consult the secondary dataprocessing server on behalf of the user C_(X) concerned.

In the case of transporting goods, the data processing system Xcommunicates with a sending system S and a receiving system R which arethemselves associated with terminals T installed on vehicles.

The terminals T transmit information concerning their geographicallocation to the receiving system R.

The vehicles equipped with the terminals T are advantageously fittedwith a GPS or similar system to indicate their location to the dataprocessing system X.

The terminals T preferably transmit ancillary information, for exampletheir available capacity for transporting goods and their intendedroute.

As mentioned above, on receiving a new request corresponding to an offeror a demand for transporting goods sent to it by a user C_(X), the dataprocessing system X searches the stored offers and demands from thesecondary data processing servers and the offers O_(X) and demands D_(X)corresponding to requests previously formulated by users C_(X) of thedata processing system X for an offer/demand corresponding to the newrequest.

If there is more than one offer/demand that can satisfy the new requestformulated by the user C_(X), the data processing system X proposesoffers/demands to the user C_(X) after sorting them in accordance withpredetermined criteria, for example criteria of price, transport termsand conditions or insurance.

If there is no offer/demand stored in the data processing system X thatcan respond to a new request formulated by a user C_(X), the dataprocessing system X stores the offer O_(X) or the demand B_(X)corresponding to the new request and also transmits the offer or requestto the secondary data processing server(s) to which that usersubscribes.

For example, if the user subscribes to freight exchange A, the dataprocessing system X deposits the offer or demand corresponding to thenew request from the user in freight exchange A.

As a result, a user C_(A) of only the secondary data processing server Acan receive a proposal in respect of the offer or demand that has justbeen transmitted in this way by the data processing system X and theuser C_(X) of the data processing system X who subscribes to freightexchange A receives from the secondary data processing server A aproposal in respect of a new offer O_(A) or a new demand D_(A)responding to their request.

A user of a secondary data processing server who subscribes to thatsecondary data processing server and also uses the data processingsystem X is therefore sure to receive from the data processing system Xa proposal for service which is at least equal to that which would haveoriginated from the secondary data processing server if the dataprocessing system X had not been used.

However, one advantage of the data processing system X is that it widensthe range of offers or demands consulted, because a user of the dataprocessing system X who is a client of only the secondary dataprocessing server A, for example, will receive proposals in respect ofoffers or demands from the secondary data processing servers B, C and Ewithout subscribing to them.

In the case of a demand for transporting goods from one point toanother, for example, the data processing system X can also use thesending system S to send a proposal to complete its load to any vehicleequipped with a terminal T in the vicinity of the point of departure ofthe goods or whose route passes close to that departure point and whichhas sufficient transportation capacity.

The data processing system X advantageously assigns to the stored offersand demands an index including information such as, for example, theidentity of the secondary data processing server from which the offer orthe demand originates, how long the demand has been present and thefrequency with which it has been consulted, in order to eliminate fromthe range of offers and demands consulted on receiving a new requestoffers and demands which are too old or have been consulted more than apredetermined number of times.

The data processing system X can therefore propose to users C_(X) onlyoffers or demands which are still current.

Generally speaking, the secondary data processing servers A, B, C and Ewill be consulted by the data processing system X and the offers anddemands repatriated to the data processing system X at a frequencyselected according to how quickly the content of the offers and demandsproposed by secondary data processing servers changes with time.

When a user formulates a new request, the data processing system X canpropose offers/demands from secondary data processing servers in apredetermined order, for example it can propose offers/demands fromsecondary data processing servers which charge for the service beforeproposing offers/demands from secondary data processing serversproviding free access, for example to give priority in terms of thequality of the offers/demands proposed to the users of the dataprocessing system X.

The data processing system X advantageously enables users to imposetheir own criteria for the presentation of offers/demands responding toa request, if necessary.

A user who has formulated a request that has not been satisfiedimmediately is advantageously alerted to this by the data processingsystem X, using any appropriate transmission means, for exampleelectronic mail or fax or a telephone call to a mobile telephone.

Of course, the invention can equally apply to the transportation oftravelers, the secondary data processing servers being reservationsystems associated with airlines offering flights on given dates tousers looking for available seats to certain destinations on givendates.

When the secondary data processing servers are reservation serversassociated with airlines, if the data processing system X cannot satisfya request corresponding to a transport demand formulated by a user ofthe data processing system X, the latter deposits the user's requestwith the reservation systems so that the airlines can afterwards contactthe user directly if a seat becomes available that can satisfy thedemand of that user.

The embodiment of the invention that has just been described can bemodified in various ways without departing from the scope of theinvention.

In particular, the invention can be applied to confronting an offer anda demand concerning goods or services other than transporting goods.

1-6. (canceled)
 7. A method for facilitating confronting demands andoffers for transportation services, the method comprising: a. receiving,from a user of a subscription-based, on-demand transportation system, auser-formulated request corresponding to a demand for point-to-pointtransportation services; b. receiving, from an in-vehicle device borneby a vehicle, respective vehicle location and ancillary information, thevehicle-borne device including a GPS receiver and being operable toreceive information about the user-transmitted request; and c.responding to the request, each responding including one of (i) sendinginformation about a vehicle available to provide the requestedtransportation services or (ii) sending an alert that the request is notbeing satisfied immediately, wherein: i. the user-formulated request issent from a user-operated communication device adapted for transmittingdata messages and operable to transmit requests for point-to-pointpersonal transportation services to the data processing system and toreceive therefrom corresponding responses, and ii. the user-formulatedrequest is received by a data processing system comprising (A) anelectronic communications apparatus operable to (I) receive theuser-formulated requests and (II) send corresponding responses to therespective users who formulated the requests, and (B) a data-storageapparatus operable to store information about the user-transmittedrequests.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the transportation servicesinclude transporting freight.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein thetransportation services include transporting a traveler.
 10. The methodof claim 9, wherein the transportation services additionally includetransporting freight.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the requestfor transporting the freight is formulated by a user who is not atraveler.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the request for thetransporting of the traveler is formulated by the traveler.
 13. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the request for the transporting of thetraveler is formulated by a user who is not the traveler.
 14. The methodof claim 7, wherein the information about a vehicle available to providethe requested transportation services includes information about aplurality of vehicles, each of which is available to provide therequested transportation services.
 15. The method of claim 14, whereinthe information about a plurality of vehicles includes, respective ofeach vehicle, at least one of price, and transport terms and conditions.16. A subscription-based, on-demand transportation system whereinuser-formulated requests for point-to-point transportation services arecomputer-matched with vehicles that are available to provide thetransportation services, the transportation system comprising: a. A dataprocessing system operable to respond to user-formulated requests forpoint-to-point transportation services, wherein each responding includesone of (i) sending information about a vehicle available to provide therequested transportation services or (ii) sending an alert that therequest is not being satisfied immediately, the data processing systemcomprising: i. an electronic communications apparatus operable to (A)receive the user-formulated requests and (B) send correspondingresponses to the respective users who formulated the requests; and ii. adata-storage apparatus operable to store information about theuser-transmitted requests; b. a plurality of user-operated communicationdevices adapted for transmitting data messages and operable to transmitrequests for point-to-point personal transportation services to the dataprocessing system and to receive therefrom corresponding responses; andc. a plurality of in-vehicle terminals borne by a respective pluralityof vehicles, each of the vehicle-borne terminals including a GPSreceiver and being operable to (i) transmit respective vehicle locationsand ancillary information to the data processing system and (ii) receiveinformation about user-transmitted requests from the data processingsystem.
 17. The transportation system of claim 16, wherein thetransportation services include transporting freight.
 18. Thetransportation system of claim 16, wherein the transportation servicesinclude transporting a traveler.
 19. The transportation system of claim18, wherein the transportation services additionally includetransporting freight.
 20. The transportation system of claim 19, whereinthe request for transporting the freight is formulated by a user who isnot a traveler.
 21. The transportation system of claim 18, wherein therequest for the transporting of the traveler is formulated by thetraveler.
 22. The transportation system of claim 18, wherein the requestfor the transporting of the traveler is formulated by a user who is notthe traveler.
 23. The transportation system of claim 16, wherein thesending information about a vehicle available to provide the requestedtransportation services includes sending information about a pluralityof vehicles, each of which is available to provide the requestedtransportation services.
 24. The transportation system of claim 23,wherein the information about a plurality of vehicles includes,respective of each vehicle, at least one of price, and transport termsand conditions.
 25. The transportation system of claim 16, additionallycomprising the respective plurality of vehicles.